Need Your Tips!! Christmas Tree Lights Burned Out

[LIFERBABE]

I have 2 Pre-Lit Trees and both have lost a section of lighting.

Does anyone have any quick tips on how to find the burned out bulb on a tree without replacing all of them? I tried using the gadget thingy detector but I dont think Im doing it right!!

Any tips on finding the replacement bulbs would be helpful too! I only had 2 that came with the tree.

I am re-using this year and only purchased 2 boxes of mini lights at Lowes and a few wreaths and Garland from Michaels.

Having to buy new trees would blow my decorating budget so please help!

 

[LIFERBABE]

Bump

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

cowtown? Wisconsin? LOL As far as those bulb dectors, there just a PITA! I have one and gave up on it. As far as finding your bulb, is any of the tree lit? Most times the lights die at the point of broken bulb.

 

[MinnieLove]

Probably not the answer you are looking for but.....

Last year we put up our pre-lit tree and simply wasnt pre-lit! We couldnt find what the problem was so we took wire cutters and cut off the pre strung lights. I loved the convenience of the pre-lit tree but what is a girl to do? I simply did not have the extra cash for another tree (still wont this year).

I still had lights in the basement and strung those on the tree and sucked it up. I drank a bottle of wine that night!

 

[TwoRoos]

If one whole string is out, I would suggest checking the fuses in that string. On most light sets these days, the whole string will no go out if one bulb is burned out. Instead, just the burned out bulb will not be lit. So you should check the fuses in that string. The fuses are in the plug end. You'll likely need to use something pointy to open the fuse door.

If changing the fuses doesn't help, another thing to check (and you may actually want to start here) is that each "hole" has a bulb in it and that they are in tightly. If one bulb is missing or loose, the rest of the string forward will usually go out. This is why it's important to leave (or replace) burned out bulbs in the string rather than remove them.

You should be able to buy replacement bulbs and fuses at any place that sells the lights, such as WalMart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

 

[mckinley]

We have a pre-lit tree it also has section that will not work. It only worked good the first year we bought it. I didn't want to have to spend the money on a new one so we just hung lights on it ourselfs. I tried to fix ours but had no luck.

 

[mrzrich]

Buy the light keeper pro off QVC. Its a light tester that finds the problem and helps you fix it.

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/...-Repair-Tool-and-Bulb-Tester-w-Case-and-Acces

If you watch the video it shows you how the tester works.

 

[englishteacha]

Light keeper pro is also sold at Walmart this year, at least at ours, and at our local hardware store. $20 and a great investment. We're crazy Christmas light people (our house lights dance to music and stuff) and it's been a lifesaver.

 

[Bowen9475]

deleted - posted in wrong place

 

[wdwfan16]

I have 2 Pre-Lit Trees and both have lost a section of lighting.

Does anyone have any quick tips on how to find the burned out bulb on a tree without replacing all of them? I tried using the gadget thingy detector but I dont think Im doing it right!!

Any tips on finding the replacement bulbs would be helpful too! I only had 2 that came with the tree.

I am re-using this year and only purchased 2 boxes of mini lights at Lowes and a few wreaths and Garland from Michaels.

Having to buy new trees would blow my decorating budget so please help!

We had a beautiful pre-lit twinkle tree that we would spend days trying to get all strings to work. This was after it was a few years old. The last year, when I thought DH was going to throw it threw the window, we got rid of it. Now we only use non-pre-lit trees.

Since ours twinkled adding a string of lights was not an option. Just buy lights that match to fill in the gap and don't waste your time finding that bulb.

ETA: We bought every bulb tester on the market and none worked. Out they all went too.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I quickly gave up trying to find the burned out bulb.

I just put one small strand of lights around the section that has burned out. I've got plenty of strands of lights and It's much faster.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Hi All!! I think I am going to change the title of this thread to Reasons NOT to Buy a Pre-Lit Christmas Tree!!

I just thought I did something wrong but it makes sense now!! Spend the time stringing lights or spend the time searching for the burned out bulb! Mine only worked 1 year too. I spent $120 on the 6 footer and $50 on the 4ft.

The mini lights at Lowes are $1.98. I think I will take the great advice here and stock up!!

I am not a serious holiday decorator, I just want to plug in and go!